A Restless Night
by TheDailyKnight
Summary: Merthur, Slash, AU, Chronology Ignored. Merlin has been away visiting Hunith in Ealdor. He returns in the middle of the night, cold and needing warmth. He turns to Arthur and his bed to solve his problems and makes a new discovery about his Prince. I do not own Merlin/Arthur and am just playing with the guys. All rights belongs to the relevant parties.


**A Restless Night**

The door to the bedroom opened slowly and Merlin slipped through it, closing it as quietly as he could. Of all the times he'd ever crept into Arthur's bedroom in the wee hours to get something without waking his Prince, this was probably the strangest of all. For once he wasn't trying to avoid the bed. Far from it, in fact. He was chilled from the road, wanted in and was determined to get it. No matter what his Prince had to say on the matter.

He crept across the stone floor and approached the slumbering blond carefully. This could be tricky, he thought to himself as he drew level with the bed. Arthur tended to get cranky if woken at night by anything but the castle alarm bell, he thought as he stripped bare.

Gingerly, slowly, he lifted the bed covers slightly. When Arthur didn't stir, he slipped carefully under them, lying just a foot away from his lover. The warmth of the bed wrapped around his frozen body, thawing him out a little. He was just drifting off to sleep when Arthur rolled over, mashing his lips against Merlin's cheek. He snorted in his ear and mumbled something incomprehensible about a unicorn on the dining table before dropping his arm heavily across Merlin's chest.

"Merlin."

Merlin froze. Had he woken up?

"Yes?" he whispered to the darkness.

"Why is Gwen a chicken?"

Merlin frowned. That wasn't normal.

"I don't know, Sire," he replied cautiously.

He felt Arthur's lips brush his earlobe as he mouthed something and he fell quiet for a short while.

Merlin was about to close his eyes when Arthur suddenly shouted out, "Merlin! Tell her to stop pecking my feet! My dad's a robin, he'll sort her out!"

Merlin tried to hold back a chuckle. Arthur was talking in his sleep. He'd never have believed it if somebody had told him but here, now, he couldn't deny it. It stuffed a fist in his mouth to stop himself laughing.

"Throw that parsnip in jail! I don't like the way it's looking at you, Merlin!"

So, Merlin mused, Arthur did think of him when he had been away visiting Hunith after all. At least that answered _that_ nagging doubt, although he wasn't sure that the terms Arthur was thinking of him in were quite right.

"Yes, Sire," he murmured.

"Very good! Free chicken for you."

"Thanks. Where is it?"

"Don't be an idiot Merlin. It's where chickens always are. It's up the chimney!"

Merlin chuckled to himself.

"Why is it up the chimney, Sire?"

He couldn't resist trying to lead the slumbering Prince's sleep talking now. He wanted to see how far he could go before Arthur realised and woke up.

"I'm smoking it. Smoking it like a horse! Like a _horse_, Merlin, do you understand?"

"No" squeaked Merlin, trying to stop a fit of hysterics.

"That's because you are being silly! Silly like a sheep, Merlin. What about a sheep?"

He knew he should probably wake the Prince up, but this was too rich.

"What about the sheep, Sire?" he asked.

"Fluffy bastards!" exploded Arthur suddenly. "I don't like the way they look at you! Pass me my sword!"

"Counting them is generally better than chopping them up, Sire, so I've heard."

"Is it?"

"Yes."

"Oh... ok. _One_ sheep, _two_ sheep, _three_ sheep, _lots_ of sheep. Merlin?"

"Yes?"

"There's a cow in the cupboard."

The conviction in Arthur's voice made Merlin struggle to keep a straight face.

"Is there, Sire?"

"Yes! A pink one!"

"A pink... a... a pink cow? Really?"

"Yes. It woke me up with its dancing! Put it in the stocks!"

"Why?"

"It's the law!"

"Really? And what about eating fish on Friday?"

"It will make your toes fall off. A donkey, a donkey! My kingdom for a donkey!"

"Erm... you don't have your own Kingdom yet."

"Give my father the donkey and I shall have one," replied Arthur conspiratorially.

"Shall I conjure one for you to give him?"

"Noooooo. Oh nooooo. Magic... nooooo. Magic's bad, Merlin, very bad."

"But you like my magic."

"Gooood, Merlin. You have gooood magic. Magic donkeys are baaaad. Remember that!"

"I certainly will, Sire," promised Merlin truthfully as Arthur raised a hand and wagged his finger in mid-air. A confused expression passed over his face.

"Why is my goblet empty?"

"You don't have a drink."

"I know! Why is it empty?"

"Because the bad magic donkey drank it."

Arthur tutted to himself and shook his head.

"See? S'like I said. Magic donkeys are baaad. Remember that."

Again, he wagged his finger in the air.

"Guards! Arrest that donkey!"

Merlin turned his head and bit the pillow, muffling his laughter.

Arthur rolled over and pressed his bottom against Merlin's hip. Merlin's heart raced as he silently appreciated the nicely rounded skin. Arthur muttered in his sleep and pressed his bottom harder against him, a smile appearing on his lips. Merlin spooned against him and slipped his arms around his shoulders, hauling him back against him with some difficulty.

Arthur opened his eyes a little and turned over, coming face-to-face with a grinning Merlin. He smiled wider as Merlin planted a lingering kiss on his lips and pulled him tightly against his body, relishing the feel of his muscles.

"Hello, Arthur," he breathed as Arthur locked his arms around him and hugged him tightly.

"You're back," murmured Arthur sleepily, stroking Merlin's hair tenderly. "When did you get here?"

"Just before Gwen turned into a chicken."

Arthur frowned. "You _are_ joking, aren't you," he said.

"I'm just repeating what you said in your sleep."

Arthur chuckled softly and kissed Merlin again. "Please don't tell anyone I do that."

Merlin tilted his head and stared deep into Arthur's eyes. "I don't know if I can do that," he replied. "What's it worth?"

"Oh, I see," teased Arthur. "You want a reward for saying nothing?"

Merlin nodded, grinning cheekily.

"Close your eyes and I'll show you," murmured Arthur, licking his lips.

Merlin closed his eyes and rolled onto his back. Arthur reached under his pillow and took two lengths of ribbon from it. He slid along Merlin's body, planting kisses from the lips, down his neck, over his chest as far as his navel before he slowly, sensuously worked his way back up. Merlin murmured his appreciation as Arthur stroked his hands along Merlin's arms and chuckled as Arthur bound his wrists to the bed posts. So, he was in that mood, was he? As far as Merlin was concerned, this was better than he had hoped for as a welcome home present.

Arthur straddled Merlin's chest and grinned down at him. Merlin stared up him, his eyes wide as Arthur took his manhood in his hand and stroked it gently against Merlin's cheek. Merlin tried to turn his head to capture it in his mouth, but as soon as he got close, Arthur moved it to his other cheek, batting it against his cheek instead.

Merlin whined as he tried to capture it for the fifth time and failed.

"You want it, don't you, Merlin?"

Merlin nodded, a huge grin on his face.

"Why should I let you have it?" asked Arthur, batting his cheek again.

"Because I want it?"

"Hah! If only! Merlin, you're my manservant. You have to _work_ for your rewards."

"_Arthur_," whined Merlin as Arthur pinched his nipples, making him hiss softly. "_Please_. I've been on the road for two whole days. Please... I want you."

Arthur's manhood jumped at the words, but aside from that, Arthur kept himself perfectly composed. He raised an eyebrow and twisted Merlin's nipples again, causing him to squirm and whimper.

"You want me?"

"Yes!"

"Really. So that's why you sneaked in here tonight, is it? Because you want to feel me inside you?"

"Yes."

"Pounding you?"

"Yes!"

"Making you beg?"

Arthur's cock twitched as Merlin nodded.

"But you weren't going to ask me? You were just going to cuddle up and hope I would warm you and let you lead, weren't you?"

"I'm sorry, Sire," replied Merlin, grinning.

"You will be when I'm done with you," replied Arthur, smiling.

He reached behind him and stroked his fingertips gently along Merlin's length. Merlin gasped as Arthur's finger found his wet head and began to draw light circles around the tip. He moaned gently.

"Not a noise out of you," said Arthur, re-positioning himself lower so that he could raise Merlin's head. "Here, let me help you with that order, since I know you can hardly comply at the best of times."

He leaned forward and pushed his manhood into Merlin's unchallenging mouth. He stifled a groan as Merlin's tongue assaulted him with its usual skill. Merlin might have been rendered unable to talk, but that didn't mean his tongue stopped moving.

Arthur licked his hand as he closed his eyes in pleasure. Merlin was too damn good sometimes. He reached back and rubbed his manservant more firmly. Merlin arched his hips and increased his ministrations. Arthur gasped and pulled out. He was getting too good. After a week with no sex, Arthur was on a hair-fine trigger. He'd only just stopped himself losing control.

He looked down and saw Merlin looking obscenely smug.

"Am I too much for you, Sire?" asked Merlin, innocently.

Only Merlin could say something like that to him and get away with it. Still, it was not going to go unchallenged. He got up, lifted Merlin's legs, and then went to his knees and bowed down with his head between them, one of Merlin's legs resting over each of his shoulders.

"Not at all, Merlin," he said as Merlin watched his head lowering towards his balls. "But I fear I may be too much for you."

He lowered his head quickly and relished Merlin's loud moan as he slipped one of his balls into his mouth and set his tongue to work on it. Merlin didn't dare move, no matter how much he wanted to, for fear of hurting himself. Arthur, damn him, knew it only too well and was taking full advantage of it. As his tongue tormented Merlin's balls, he cried out happily as Arthur oiled his hands from a nearby jar and began to stroke him firmly.

He cried out again as Arthur released his balls and licked his way slowly to his bottom. He nuzzled Merlin's cheeks aside and lifted Merlin gently to get better access. Merlin thrashed in his arms as Arthur's tongue found his most sensitive spot. He cried out for mercy, but Arthur chuckled and moved his tongue in deeper, loosening Merlin's resistance little by little until Merlin was begging, struggling putty in his hands.

"Say it, Merlin," teased Arthur after a while.

"I want you inside me!"

"Say it louder."

"I want you inside me. God, hurry up! I need you!"

Arthur crawled up Merlin's body, kissing every inch of exposed flesh until he reached Merlin's lips. He devoured them hungrily as Merlin gasped into his mouth.

Merlin clamped his legs around Arthur's waist and succeeded in pressing himself against the tip of Arthur's manhood.

"What would you like me to do to you, Merlin?" teased Arthur.

"Arthur, I will tell you this once only in words that even a prat like you can understand," gasped Merlin as Arthur licked his nipples. "I want you inside me. I want you to pound me senseless. I want you to ride me so hard that I wake half of Camelot with my screams, and I want you to do it RIGHT NOW!"

Merlin's eyes flashed golden as Arthur chuckled and stroked his calves.

"Alright, alright!" he chuckled. "No need to magic me! I'll give you your wish."

"Arthur?"

"Yes?"

Merlin's eyes flashed golden and Arthur felt himself dragged down until his face was an inch from Merlin's.

"I disagree. Now, shut up and fuck me," growled Merlin.

Arthur planted a searing kiss on Merlin's neck.

"Your wish, my sorcerer, is my command," he whispered into Merlin's ear.

He lowered his head into the crook of Merlin's neck and kissed him lightly while he oiled himself with one hand. Merlin groaned and threw his head back, drinking up the kisses Arthur was planting on his exposed neck as Arthur positioned his hips, found his target and pushed.

Merlin must have wanted him badly as there was no resistance whatsoever. Merlin's eyes flashed and the ribbons untied themselves. He clutched Arthur tightly as he felt himself being stretched. He panted as he felt himself fill until his lover was completely inside him. Arthur held still for a moment or two, then started to move gently, in and out, with slow, rhythmic strokes.

Merlin trembled and whined as the first stabs of pain hit. He bit his bottom lip, then pressed his mouth to Arthur's neck, kissing it, sucking it, licking it. Anything to take his mind from the temporary burning.

"Are you alright?" whispered Arthur, nibbling his ear gently.

Merlin nodded and gasped as Arthur nudged his sensitive spot. After a moment or two, he relaxed. Arthur felt him loosen and grinned. He lay on top of Merlin, his bottom raised, with Merlin's legs over his shoulders and stared into his eyes as he sped up.

Merlin's breathing became ragged and be started to moan as Arthur worked on him. His hips fell into a rhythm and his lips worked Merlin's neck, his arms encircling Merlin's neck, forcing the wriggling manservant to keep his neck exposed.

"Faster," gasped Merlin.

Arthur was only too happy to oblige. The bed creaked as Arthur increased his speed and Merlin's groans became louder and more urgent. Soon Arthur was groaning himself, shivering with happiness as stroke after stroke hit home with pinpoint precision. He knew how Merlin liked to be taken and he loved obliging him.

Merlin started to quiver and buck. He passed beyond noise and into some blissful paradise where the only thing in his world was Arthur inside him and the rush of joy and pleasure it gave him.

Arthur felt him begin to spasm inside and sped up even more, a sweat beginning to build on his forehead. Merlin opened his eyes, looked up at him, mouthed something, shuddered and then came with a huge moan.

Arthur shivered as Merlin's insides pulsed around his manhood. He stiffened as Merlin pushed him over backwards on the bed and rode him for all he was worth. His manservant was like a thing possessed as he buried his lips deep in Arthur's mouth and wrapped his arms tightly around him, a gesture that Arthur reciprocated so that they were locked tightly together in a sitting position.

A slip of Merlin's tongue around the inside of Arthur's lips was all it took to hurl Arthur over the edge. Merlin shot for the second time as he felt Arthur pulse inside him. They fought each other's tongues as they rode the orgasm together until it faded and they collapsed, sweaty, wet and exhausted, Arthur underneath, Merlin straddling him, lying forward in his arms.

Neither moved nor said a word for some time. Arthur slid out of Merlin of his own accord when he became too limp to stay inside. Somehow there was a sense of loss when that happened. Merlin didn't want Arthur not to be in him, and Arthur didn't feel ready to exit him, but nature decided differently.

Merlin lay down on top of Arthur and they kissed in silence, enjoying the post-orgasmic glow as they did so. Eventually they settled down next to one another in a loose embrace. Arthur pulled the covers up around them both so that they lay nestled in the warmth of the blanket, held tenderly in each other's arms.

Merlin chuckled lightly as Arthur stroked his cheek.

"What is it?" asked Arthur tenderly.

"Oh, I was just thinking that I love this smell."

Arthur frowned. "What smell?"

"Oh, the smell of you mixed with the musk of sex," murmured Merlin. "I've missed it. I've missed you."

"I missed you too," replied Arthur, cupping the back of Merlin's head in one hand to play with his hair gently. "It's been boring here without you."

"Well, I'm back now," murmured Merlin sleepily. "I don't go away often."

"I know," replied Arthur, kissing his lips softly. "Let's keep it that way, shall we?"

"Are you sure?" asked Merlin, smiling his cheekiest smile. "If this is what I get as a reward when I return, maybe I should go away more often."

"Every now and then I can live with," replied Arthur with a yawn, "But not more than that."

"And what if my mother wants me to come more often?"

"Then I shall write her a letter explaining that you can't come more often because I am making you come more often, is that clear?"

Merlin looked at him and the pair of them started to laugh.

"She missed you, you know," replied Merlin. "She wanted to know where you were and that you were looking after me."

"What did you tell her?"

"The truth. She says that she looks forward to having you as an unofficial son-in-law."

"And I her as part of the family," replied Arthur.

Silence reigned for a while as they felt their eyelids become heavy.

"Arthur?" murmured Merlin.

"Yes?"

"Thank you. That was amazing. Sleep well."

Arthur smiled proudly to himself. "You're amazing," he whispered back.

Merlin felt him kiss his forehead. He returned the kiss, laid his head on his lover's muscled chest and closed his eyes. Before long, he was asleep.

In the darkness, Arthur grinned to himself as Merlin started to mumble. Merlin didn't know that he talked in his sleep too, but this night, for the first time since Merlin told him he loved him in his sleep without even knowing it, Arthur would listen to him again. It would give him some material to tease him with when he woke up...

9


End file.
